Employment outlook for Q2 positive, still affected by downturn
While South Africa could experience a more positive outlook for the 2013 second-quarter employment outlook, the year could remain bleak as a number of factors drag down confidence, workforce solutions company Manpower Group South Africa MD Lyndy van den Barselaar said on Monday.
The first-quarter Manpower Employment Outlook Survey forecast low employment plans for most regions and sectors during the period under review; however, the impact of the holiday season and the conclusion of the African National Congress’s Mangaung conference, in December, were expected to lift the second quarter’s performance.
The private and public sectors created about 87 000 and 38 000 jobs respectively during the past 12 months, but the growth in new jobs had slowed. The government aimed to create 780 000 new positions in the next three years.
In the latest Manpower South Africa 2013 forecast, Van den Barselaar said that, despite the “hopes” that 2013 would mark an economic turnaround, employment would still hold some residue of the impact of the 2008 financial downturn.
“South Africa is having a particularly difficulty time in returning to ‘normal’ economic functioning, caused mainly by factors exacerbating the global economic effects, such as perceived political instability by both local and foreign investors.”
Business had difficulty strategising around stable future governance, owing to uncertainty in South Africa’s economic landscape, she said, citing the issues of ongoing strikes, talks of mine nationalisation, struggles for leadership in the ruling party and land and business reform policies.
Further, the negative sentiment of businesses and consumers had reached some of the lowest levels in years, leading to cautious spending for both sides.
“The very low confidence levels that South Africa is currently suffering from means we’ll probably experience some drag on any positive effects that occur in developing nations,” she said.
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
Feedback
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
Developed to exceed the latest EN 15964 standards for police breathalysers proving that it will remain accurate and reliable for many years to come.
VISIT SHOWROOM
As a reticulator, Egoli Gas provides natural gas to homes and businesses via underground pipes.
VISIT SHOWROOM
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
